Thread control means



Oct. 26,1943. n A, s. RIVIERE 2,332,932

THREAD CONTROL MEANS 4 Filed July 30, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: I NVEN TOR:

ATTORNEYS.

n. E Z. BY dJm.

0`t.26,1943 A. s. RWI-ERE 2,332,932

THREAD CONTROL MEANS Filed July 30, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES: y v INVENTOR.' zum JW@ q,

Oct 26, 1.943. A; s. RIVIERE 2,332,932

THREAD CONTROL MEANS Filed July 50, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTORNE S.

Patented Oct. 26, 1.943 4 2,332,932 THREAD `CONTROL MEANS `Albert S. Riviere, deceased, late of Chicago, Ill., by John F. Cahill, administrator de bonis non, assignor to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 30, 1940, Serial No. 348,373

22 claims.

This invention relates to thread control means useful with textile machinery, including sewing machines of various types which produce single seams, independent parallel seams-1 or over-edge seams from two or more threads.

The aim of this invention is to insureuniiorm release of a plurality of yarns at a predetermined rate or rates and thereby attain, for example in the case of sewing machines of the kind referred to, regularity both with regard to the size and the tightness of the stitchingproduced in such machines, and at the same time make it possible tovary the character of the seams. This advantage is realized, as hereinafter more fullyl disclosed, in a thread control means including a freely revolving wheel which provides annular surfaces with which individual threads engage in peripheral controlling contacten route from separate sources of supply to the respective instrumentalities ofthe machine by which they are manipulated, the circle diameters of the annular surfaces being `such that during each rotation of the wheel, corresponding proportional lengths of the threads aretolled off; and associate regulatable means whereby the severalthreads may be'maintained either under uniform `tension of a denite degree, or under dierent tensions-all in accordance with the characteristics desired in the work produced 'by the machine. i

A further object of this invention is to secure the foregoing advantages in a thread control Fig. IX is a` View corresponding to Fig. IV showing a modicationof my invention.

Referring first more particularly to Fig. I, the sewing machine there delineated is of a wellknown type of the construction shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 1,751,508, granted to Norman V. Christensen on March 25, 1930, having a base I with a standard 2 rising therefrom and affording guidance for an endwise reciprocating needle bar 3 which is inclined somewhat to the vertical. Forming a part of the base I is a Work support 4 which is appropriately apertured for passage of the needle 5 on the bar 3; and cooperating with the needle below the work support is a lower looper 6 with which in turn cooperates an auxiliary or over-edge looper l. By the combined action of these three instrumentalities, a seam is formed around the edge of the fabric F in a well-known way as the latter is progressed on the work support iI by a feed dog, not shown. Journalled at one` end in a pedestal bearing 8 upstanding from the extended lower portion 9 of the machine base; and journalled at the other end in the rear wall of the standard 2 is a rock shaft I0 which carries a thread take-up I I. The needle bar 3, the loopers 6 and 1, and the take-up II are all operated by mechanism concealed within the machine frame, which device which is simple, inexpensive and readily i attached to existing machines without entailing any changes whatever, either in their construction or intheir normal mode of operation.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear "from the following detailed description of the aforementioned drawings, wherein I is a perspective view of an over-scanning sewing machine conveniently embodying the improved thread controllingmeans. l Y

II is `a fragmentary view in plan of the various thread control means drawntoa larger scale. y

Fig. Ill is a iront-.view of the thread control lIrictll. t f .i

Fig. IV is a cross-sectional View taken as indicated bythe angled arrows IV-VIV in Fig. III.

Fig. V is' airagmentaryview in side elevation of a two-thread cup feed sewingmachine` incorporating the threadcontrol `means in accordance with this invention. v Y

Fig. VI shows the edgel View of the thread measuring Wheel included in the thread control means featured in Fig. V. l

Fig. VII is a View similar to FigLV showing this invention in connection with a three-thread cup feed sewing machine. i i l,

Fig. VIII shows the edge View of the thread measuring wheel featured in Fig. lVII; and

wheel shown at I2.

The thread control means with which the present invention is more especially concerned, includes, as exemplied in Figs. I-IV, a wheel I5 having circumferential grooves I6,Il and I8 with the annular bottom surfaces of which, Vthe threads N, L and L' contact en route from their respective sources of supply (not shown) to the needle 5, the main looper 8 and the over-edge looper l. The threads may be passed only part way around the wheel, but in order to, insure i more positive controlling contact, they arevpreferably wrapped one or more times around the respective grooves. The groove IS for the needle threadV NY is,\in the present exempliiication `of vsmall diameter as compared to that of the grooves I.'I and I8 for the looper threads L and L', which `latter groovesare shown` as being of vequal di- The wheel I5 is mounted to revolve` ameters. freely about a screw stud I9 engaged in a bracket "2U (Figs. II and III) which is detachably se- Thisaction will be I eai'illy 'its elevated position vand`"consume some offtlv .grooves of the vvheelyi, andthe main yl 22-24 1S a enger 2i having eyes e8, 29 and se',

(Fig. II) for respectively directing the threads N,VL and L to the grooves IE5, l' and i3 oiY said wheel. configured guide member 3l, whereof'th'e other arm 32 has its end laterally bent as at lUpon leaving ythe wheel i5, the threads N, and L pass through eyes 3ft, 35 and inthe ,endi .of

, ance; and set.

The finger 2 constitutes anfanguiarly the guide member 3l, which, as shownin Fig. i;

is adjustable about the stud i9 andk cla'npablev in adjusted positions yagainst y the front of the bracket E@ bya jam nut 3l ,on the inner thread-- ed portion of said studsee Fig'. lV. En` route to the needle 5,the thread N, afterleaving the eye 3ft `in 4the guide A,' impasses irst through a ixed guide 33 on the machine trama then through a slotted guide 3d carried by the needle bar 3, then through Vanother xed guided, and iinally doi-vnward from the lastlvrnentioned guide` to the eye of The l the needle as is, clearly shown ijnhllig.,A I. looper threads L ,onu the otherhhand aiter leaving theeyesi and ,'354 pass through the `eyes of iixed guides M and i2 on theright hand side of themachine frame, then thrdugheyes t3, 'fifa in a guide 55 adjustablysecured a screw i6 to the front wall of the machine frame l, then through the eyesin the arm di of the take-up i i, thenlother eyes 43 and` oi theadjustable guide 45, then through Vthe eyes of anothernxed guide 56 and finally to theeyes of the respective loop-y As they approach the tension.1 disks 22,23 and 2t', vthethreads rN, L andML aredirected in properly spaced relationrby rguide 5i, which together with an extension `piece et Zrbynthe stud 2i iereon the tension disks 22T-.2:4 Vare mounted* i'nlnviissw way from its sua plysource, the needle'A thread Ndpasses initially between the disks 533 yo" an auxiliary tension Vdevice 54 carried by the e tension piece 52 'as Y,'lfi'own in Figs. IIand'IlI. u I I ,a l

.With the illus rated arrange'm' ent or `fthe threads. it is` evident met the when, es driventhrough pulllon thread'being ohnsu` ed ata particular stage inr Y y K 4 n understood 'from Iin which the needle 5 is about to devscendi needle'thread N., When .this occurs, the me jsissecured'to the braokuring wheel I5 will be posit'ivel'yy rotated',aid, as

a resultydeinite lengths ofthe l ovfoifdler4 threads L and vL' will be concurrently -easured amounts karmortioned being deter diierentialyratio as ratio betweenA ferences of the grooves ,i5Y and l? 4 l inthe stitch forming cyclewhen t e needle yN has finished its stroke, and tl'iefloop .s 5 and] Abegin to `advance successively, the lu'zkheeli "ill then be rotatedlby the .particular looper nre-ad 'which iced by tney'cir'cum'- at the moment is `being consumed, with'att'efndant metering of proportional lengths of needle thread N in a similar manner. With the set up shown in Fig. I, the above des'eribed act'ionrelsuits inthe formation of stitches of :lo tyne No. 504 according to the U15. standards. l"teh of type 505 may be produced simplyby shift the needle thread Nl to one ci thehiargedianieter thread L to the lsinall 4 diameter greoveoffsaid wheel. In .either` case, dueto the exact propo tioning of the measured threads, the stitches will the v 'i 3. Later on be .absolutely uniform both as regards appear- Obviously, other proportioning of the threads may be had as desired or required for special types of seams, simply by subsituting io'r the Wheel i5, other Wheels having thread grooves of correspondingly dierent diameters. The"cup feed sewing machine illustrated in Fig Vis generallyof the type disclosed in U. S.

Patent No.2,254,875, granted to Charles F. Rubel on `Selpte'mloer 27, 1941, having an upright frame 55 with a laterally extending portion at its top `from which the peripherally contacting feed cups 5l and are suspended by their shafts 5&3 and 693.' Bysuitable mechanism within the frame 55 the-feed cups lil ,and |58 are intermittently rov tatedtowadvance-the work past Vthe stitch forming with the machine griffig. Vvin'clud'es a Wheel y65- nhiehhasbuitw crumfeleniiel eredi/s B6 and Si. respectively fer .the threads N and L Whih eredi/@sere ef, seem-fthe Sem@ diameter, Sad Wheel; .rotating freelyebolit a SC'l-W sind 68 Whch engages directlyV into the( rear lside of the machine fratrie.4 Associated with the wheel 65 is la tensionzldevie Q9 with paired disks '5D `between which -the threads respectively run 0n their Way tofthewheel,saidndisks: being free to rotate 4on anotherstudhluwhich engages into the machine frameland subjectto `theinfluenc'e of a compression springinotshown. .After leaving the wheel 65, the needleS thread N is rstvdirecte'd through @tred eye. Btihsflthrbueh en eye 'i3 Ofi the endwise reciprocating and oscillating shaft M of thebar ilwhich carries the needle Bl and na1- ly totheeyeoi the needle; while the loop'er thread extends.` directly to the Aeye of fhelOGDeI- sind@ 1Fig. thetv/o groovesf' and B7 of the wheel arefotthesamediameter, itfollows that the amQlnt' of thread'provided, for the looper'Z will exactly thers'ame as that provided for the The machine of Fig. VII 'is exactly like the one last described except in that an: auxiliary looier anis4 suhnstitlfited,for'the` spreader 63 of Fig. V, for manipulating another thread 'O incident 'to formation of athree thread over-.edge Seam in a manner which is alsoV fully vexplained inthe copendingrapplication to which reference has been'made above, Th/wheel `[55d of the 'control means shown in Figli/"1T hasthree grooves 6521, i

main iper tzu.- TheV auxiliary fito'per `'yarn o nection with the thread control means shown in Figs. V and VII if this should be found necessary or desirable. i

In the modiiication illustrated in Fig. IX, the

` grooves I6, Il andt|8 are provided by separate wheel sections 83, 84 and 85 which are detachably secured together by means of a plurality of circumferentially arranged screw bolts 86. The wheel sections are held in` positive axial alignment through engagement of hub bosses 81 and 88 on the wheels 83 and 84 into axial recesses 89 andi90 respectively in the wheels 84 and 85. This modified construction is advantageous in' that it permits ready interchange of wheels of different sizes for adaptation of this invention to different requirements of practice, and may, if found desirable, be embodied in the thread control wheels 65` and 85a `as shown in Figs. V and VII.

The said Albert S. Riviere claimed as his invention, and desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

l. Thread control means for textile machines with plural cooperative thread carrying stitchforming instrumentalities, including a rotating wheel around which several threads are caused to travel one or more times en route to the individual stitch forming instrumentalities, said wheel being driven by pull on one of the threads incident to consumption of such thread during stitch formation, and having portions of different diameters for the respective threads to effect delivery of said threads at diierent rates.

2. Thread control means for `textile machines with plural cooperativethread carrying stitchforming instrumentalities, including a rotating wheel around which several threads are caused to travel one or more times en route to the individual stitch forming instrumentalities, and means adjacent the wheel for maintaining the threads under definite tension comprising pairs of coaxially-mounted freely rotatable springpressed disks between which the individual threads are respectively passed.

3. Thread control means for textile machines with plural cooperative thread carrying stitchforming instrumentalities, including a rotating wheel around which several threads are caused to travel one or more times en route to the individual .stitch forming instrumentalities, said Wheel having laterally-spaced circumferential `grooves for the individual threads to keep them `deiinitely separated as they pass around the wheel, and means for maintaining the threads under tension comprising pairs of freely rotatable spring pressed disks mounted on a common stem adjacent the `wheel and spaced to correspond with the wheel grooves, between which disk pairs the individual threads are respectively passed.

around which the two threads travel one or more times en route to said needle and looper.

5. The combination with a sewing machine rhaving a needle and a cooperating thread carrying looper, of means for controlling the needle `and looper threads including a rotating wheel around which the two threads travel one or more times en route to said needle and looper, said wheel having portions of diierent diameters for the different threads to determine delivery of the threads at correspondingly diiierent rates. 4

6. The combination with a sewing machine having a needle and a cooperating thread carrying looper, of means for controlling the needle and looper threads including a rotating wheel around which the two threads travel one or more times en route to said needle and 'looper, and means adjacent the Wheel for maintaining the threads under tension.

7. The combination with a sewing machine having a needle and a cooperating thread carrying looper, of means for controlling the needle and looper threads including a rotating wheel around which the two threads travel onel or more times en route to said needle and looper, and means adjacent the wheelfor maintaining the threads under different tension.

8. The combination with an over edge sewing machine having a needle, a main thread-carrying looper and an auxiliary thread-carrying looper, of thread control means including a rotating wheel around which the several threads pass en route respectively to the needle, looper and auxiliary looper.

9. The combination with an over edge sewing machine having a needle, a main thread-carrying looper and an auxiliary thread-carrying looper, of thread control means including a rotating wheel around which the several threads pass en route respectively to the needle, looper and auxiliary looper, and means adjacent the wheel for maintaining the several threads under deiinite tension.

10. The combination with an over edge sewing machine having la needle, a main thread-carrying looper and an auxiliary thread-carrying looper. of thread control means including a rotating Wheel around which the several threads pass en route respectively to the needle, looper and auxiliary looper, means adjacent the wheel for applying uniform tension to the several threads,and auxiliary tensioning means adjacent the rst tensioning means for applying additional tension to one oi the threads,

11. Thread control mechanism for textile machines in which plural manipulating' instrumentalities cooperate to incorporate a plurality of individual threads into a single stitch structure, said mechanism comprising annular surfaces with which the respective individual threads have peripheral contact en route to the corresponding manipulating instrumentalities; and means actuated through pull occasioned incident to consumption of one of the threads for compelling concurrent rotation of said surfaces `whereby lengths of the remaining individual threads are metered for use by their respective manipulating instrumentalities in proportion to the peripheral speed of the respective annular surfaces.

l2. Thread control mechanism for textile machines in which plural manipulating instrumentalities cooperate to concatenate as many individual threads, said mechanism comprising annular surfaces with which the respective individual threads have peripheral contact en route to the correspondingmanipulating instrumentalities; means actuated through pull occasioned ih'- cil 'ent to consumption 'of 'one oi the threads Ifor Compelling Concurrent lotaton of Said Surfaces `whereby lengths of the remaining individual 'threads are 'rilet'er'ed for use by their respective manipulating instrulneiitaliti'es in proportion to the peripheral `"speed of the respective annular surfaces; and means for tensioning the threads en route to said surfaces.

1,3. Thread control mechanism for textile rn'achine'sv in which plural cooperative manipulating ihstruriieritalities cooperate to concatenat'e as many individual threads, said mechanism com'- psig Wheel alullddifel'e'nt pOitlOnS'Of 'which the individual threadsv are respectively Wound en route to the corresponding manipulating instruinentalities whereby, through 'pull occasioned incident to consumption of one :of the threads, the Wheel is rotated and lengths of the remaining individual threads are metered for use by their respective manipulating instrumentalities in po'portion to the peripheral speed of the portions "of the Wheel contacted by them; and 'means for ir'i'dividu'ally tensioning the several threads.

14. Thread control mechanism for textile machines in which plural cooperative Vmanipulating instrumentalities 'cooperate to concatenate asA inany individual threads, said mechanism cornf p'rlsinfg a'wh'eel around 'diierent portions 'of which `riieiitalities whereby, 'through pull occasioned inf cident to consumption of one of the threads, the Wh''el is rotated and lengths of the remaining in- 'dividual threads are` metered for use 'by their respective manipulating instrum'enta'lities in p'roportionto the peripheral speed of the portions rof the Wheel contacted by them; and means for maintaining the threads in definitely spaced 'relation as they-pass around the Wheel.

15. The invention according to clain'i i3 in which the Wheel has spaced ridges to *maintain the `'threads in denite separation.

16. The invention according to 'claim i3, `in `"which the tensioning means is located adjacent the Wheel; and further including a bracket for supporting 'said wheel `and said tensioningr 'means 'on the machine.

1'7. Thread control mechanism for textile niachin'es in which plural `cooperative Arna'n'ipu'lating instrumentalities vvcooperate to `concatenate as lmany individual threads, vsaid mechanism comprising a, wheel around `different portions oi' which the individual threads are Yrespe'ctivf-zly S.

Wound en route to the corersponding manipulating inst-rumentalities whereby, through pull'oecasioned incident to 'consumptionof o'ne of 'the threads, the wheel is rotated and `lengths 'of the reinaining individual threadsar'e metered :for use 'by their respective manipulating instrumen- It'alities in proportion `to the peripheral speed of thc-'portions of the Wheel 'contacted-'by thorn; 'and means adjacentthe wheel 'and common 'to the `several threads 'for maintaining the latter under tension. I

i8. Thread control 'mechanism for. textile machines in which plural cooperative manipulating instrumentalities vcooperate to rconcate'n'ate as many individual threads, 'said mechanism comprisirig a Wheel around 'different'portions 'of vh'icli the individual `threads a-r'e respectively vvuvid'en vrollte to fthe 'corresponding manipulating instrtunentalitie's whereby, through pull '0ccasild incident to coiisuhlpton'fof n'e Of the threads', the vvheel is otated and lengths of the remaining individual threads ale metered for use by their respective manipulating instrumentalities in proportion to the peripheral speed of the portions 'of the Wheel `contacted yby them; means `for niaintainingcertain 'of the threads yuniformly tcflsibll'ed; 'and means for maintaining allOthel threadat 'a different tension. Y '9.' Thread control mechanism for textile ina- Chinesin Which plural cooperative manipulating instrumentalities cooperate to concatenate as Ily individual threads, said mechanism corn'- prising a Wheel around different portions 'of which the individual threads are respectively Wound en route to the corerspondihg -r'nfanipulating instrumentalities whereby, through pull occasioned incident to consumptionv ofv'one of the threads, the Wheel is rotated and lengths "0f the remaining individual thlads are metered-for use by their 'respective manipulating instruof lthe portions of the Wheel contacted by them; ine'ans for applying uniiorin tension to all of the threads; `and auxiliary means for 'applying additional tension 'to certain of sa-id threads.

2o. Trl-'read control ineans for determining proportion'ateA rates at which plural threads are fed individually to as niany different but cooperative thread-concatenatlng elements o'i v a textile machine, `sai`d neans comprising Vva separate tension for each thread and a Wheel having plural peripheral thread engaging portions bf diiie're'nt diameters iii-ith each of Auhicli ne oi a plurality of the threads vis ifr'icti'o engaged, said Wheel being :arranged for rotation by the nioveinent of 'one of said threads incident to the consumption thereof by "one o-f said thread 'concatenati-ng elements, `'and 'b'ys'aid rotation adapt- 'ed-'to 'sllflultalie'jllSly supply another thread tO element cooperating lwith 'said iirst nalned am'eter's of 'the portions of said Wheel which are irictionally 'engagedby said threads. Y 21. Thread control means for fgoverning the rate Aat which `separate threads vare concirrently 'fed to v'co'rnplern'ental cooperative Istitch=iorrnin'g devicesV of textile machi'nes, 'comprising a sepa'- rate tension '-devi'ce 'for each thread; and a 'Wheel 'formed of interchangeable detachable sections l'a'io'u'nl the peiiirnet'r'ic surfaces "of 'Which the Vfir-"espectiv'e threads aretvou'nd, said 'wheel lbeing 'rotatedthrough `pull 'occasioned bay cn'suinption of one o'i the -threadaso [that the rate of advance of the remaining 'threads 4is "determined and lp'ir'o- 'portione'dfi-n accordance 'vtfith the diameters' of lsiich thread during lstitch formation;

` JOHN 1F. CA-HILL, Admz'm'trat'or de boms non of the Estate of AZ- bei't S. Riviere, Deceased. 

